Overflow switch control



l Feb. 4, 1930.

H-l:|||| l H. A. PETERSEN Filed Dec. 23, 1927 OVERFLOW SWITCH CONTROL 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb.4, 1930.

H. A. PETERsE-N 1,745,639

OVERFLOW SWITCH CONTROL Filed Dec. 23. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 4, 193() UNITED STA HANS-A. rETEnsEN, or msHALLrow'N, Iowa OVEBFLOW ySW'I'L'GIE i CONTROL The object of my invention is to provide an overflow switch control of simple, durable,

and comparatively inexpensive construction.

A. further object of my invention is to provide a means for controlling the su ply of a iuid to a container from an over ow pipe the reference numeral to 1n icate a gaso-l co'ming from the container so that soon after the liquid starts flowing through the overflow pipe the container filling means will be 10 stopped.

More particularly it is my object to provide such a device in the form of a control switch "for an electric motor which is used for pumping gasoline 'into an elevated transparent container rom which an overflow pipe ex- Itends for the purpose of determining the maximum amount of gasoline to be placed in the container.

vStill a further object is to provide in a device of this character means for locking the overflow operated 4mechanism after it has served to stop lthe motor and tov further provide either manually or automatically operated means for again starting the motor so vthat the containerwill be filled.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in the construction, ar-v rangement and combinationA of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, andv illustratedin the accompanying drawings, in

which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through l a gasoline dispensing ap aratus showing my control .switch applied t creto. Figure 2 is a' sectional view through the control which I provide in the form of a unit l of Figure 5. e

to be interposed in dispenser. l l Figures 3 and 4 are detail sectionalviews on the lines 3-3 and 4-4 respectively of Figure 2. l

Figure 5 illustrates further mechanism to be used in connectionwith m control devicel for rendering it, automatic y startin the motor 'whenever the dispensing hoseis ung the overiiow pipe of the up rin position after use.l v

Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6' found more convenient.-

Figure 7 is a sectional view on the line 7-7 of Figure 3 and Figure 8 1s an electrical diagram illustrating'the'manner .of connectingv my control with the pumping motor.l

On the accompanying drawin s I have used er 12 a dispensing hose 24 is provided which has a discharge nozzle 26. The hose 24 when not in use may be hung on a hook 28. Suitable manually controlled valve means is provided for allowin the gasoline in the4 container 12 to be disc arged from the nozzle 26 into the gasoline tank of an automobile.

l An overiow pipe 30 extends up into'the container 12 and connects with the tank 18 whereby when the gasoline withinthe container reaches the level I32 any excess gasoline pumped into the container thereafter Vwill flow down the pipe 30' and back into the stora e tank 18. The foregoing description is o an ordinary gasoline dispensing tower and I have merely shown this tower as an i1- lustrative example and my device may be applied to towers of other construction as well.

My improved control device comprises a 32 adapted to be interposed in the casilng `ove ow pipe 30. The overow pipe 30 'may be cut as at 34 and 36"and the end 36 may be screw threaded for coacting with s crew threads' in the bottom o'fl' the casing 32. The upper cnd of the casing y32 maybe provided wlth a paclcinv'nut 38 so that the end 34 of the pi e30 wilnot have to be screw threaded. It is dbvious that other types of 'connections' with the overflow pipe ma'yhbe made where e casing 32 is The shaft 42 has pinned to it an arm 46 on the inside of the extension 40.

Loosely mounted in the casing 32 for up and down movement is a bucket 48. bucket 48 is closed at the bottom with the eX- cept-ion of openings 50 for allowing gasoline to escape from the bucket after it has started to fill. A stem 52 extends downwardly from the bottom of the bucket 48 and is provided with a reduced portion 54. The arm 46 is bifurcated as at 56 for receiving the reduced portion v54 of the stem 52.` From the foregoing description it will be obvious that up and down movement of the bucket 48 will be impartedto the arm 46 whereby oscillating movement will be imparted to the shaft 42. If desired the casing 32 may be provided with extensions 58 for guiding the stem 52 of the bucket 48. Secured to the end of the shaft 42 which projects from the'packing nut 44 is a switch arm 60. A set screw 62 may be provided for connecting the arm 60 to the shaft 42. The arm 60 is provided with an adjustable weight 61 for counterbalancing the bucket 48 and its contents. The arm60 as best illustrated in Figure 7 is provided with an opening 64 into which a mercury type switch -is inserted. prises a metal tube 66 having a ball terminal 68 mountedl in one end thereof. The ball terminal 68 extends through a plug 70 and is insulated therefrom. The plug 70 closes one end of the tube 66 the other end being formed closed. A wire 72 is connected to the terminal 68. Another wire 74 is soldered or otherwise connected to the p tube 66.

' tube 66. When the arml 60 is tipped to the dotted line position illustrated in Figure 5, the mercury 64 will contact with both the tube 66 and the terminal ball 68 whereby an electrical connection is formed between the wires 72 and 74.

A catch 78 is provided for the outer end of the arm 60 and this catch is adapted to bemanually released by a pin 80. AIn operation, the switch in the arm 60 controls the motor 22by disconnecting the electric circuit when in the position shown in Figure 1. To startl the motor 22 the pin 80 is pushed inwardly so that the arm 60 drops thereby establishing the electric circuit.' This pumps the conl -tainer 12 full of gasoline until the gasoline starts overflowing through the ipe 30 and into thebucket 48. When the ucket 48 is partially full, it' will have suicient weight for raising the free end' 'of the arm 60 and causing it to move the catch 78 against the The` The switch itself comeluded within their scope.

action of the spring 82 and then be held in raised position by the catch. While the gasoline has been flowing through the pipe 30 and into the bucket 48 this gasoline has been gradually discharged through the openings 50 so that after a minute or so all gasoline is drained from the bucket 48 so that it is ready to again operate the switch whenever the motor has been started and gasoline has started `to overflow through the pipe 30.

In Figure 5 I have shown the catch 78 provided with an arm 84 which is connected to a rod 86. The rod 86 extends slidably through a bracket V88 and terminates in a hook portion 90. The hook portion 90 is adapted to engage a pin 92 extending from a pivoted hook arm 94. The hook arm 94 -is normally held in the' full line position illustrated in Figure 5 by a spring 96. Whenever gasoline has been dispensed and the hose 24 has been replaced on the hook 94 the pin 92 will raise the rod 86 thereby actuating the catch 78 for dropping the arln 60 and l f establishing a current through the switch in the arm so that the container 12 is automatically filled whenever the hose is placed in non-service position on the hook 94.

As th'e pin 92 is swung upwardly it also swings away from the hook portion so that just before the hook 94 has assumed the dotted line position shown in Figure 5 the hook 9() slips from the pin 92\ allowing the catch' 78 todrop back to operative position with the stop pin 98 against the bracket 88. Then when the arm 60 is raised it will move the catch 78 against the action of the spring 100 which is very light, being for the purpose only of moving thecatch 78 to the full line position shown in Figure 5 and keeping the rod 86 against one side of the opening in the bracket 88. Whenever the hose Iis removed from the hook 94 the pin 92 will move the rod 86 in the direction of the arrow 102 and then in under the hook portion 90so that the device is again in operative positionready for receiving the hose after the gasoline has been dispensed.

Although I have illustrated my control device as applied to a gasoline dispensing tower, it will be obvious that it may be used on other containers such as storage tanks and will operate in the sameway. Also instead of controlling an electric .motor driven pump, the switch may control an electrically operated valve and 'would still accomplish the same purpose.

Some changes maybe made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my device Without departing-"from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and itis my intention to cover by my claims, any

be reasonably in-l vus I claim as my invention: 1. In combination with a liquid container having mechanism for filling the container- .and anv overflow pipe, means 1n said-pipe adapted 'to normally assume a position for -causing'said filling mechanism to operate,

having means for filling the `container and anl overflow pipe, means in said pipe actuated by the liquid overflowing therethrough for stopping the operation of said filling means, locking mechanism for locking the means in said pipe after it has been so actuated and means for releasing said locking mechanism, said `last mentioned means comprising a member adapted, when moved in one direction, to cause such release and a hook arm for so moving said member, the member, after being moved a predetermined distance, being disengaged from the hook` arm.

3. Incombination with a liquid container having means for filling the container and an overflow pipe, means in said .pipe actuated by the liquid overflowing therethrough and comprising a bucket adapted to catch said trol including overflowing liquid for stopping the operafor distion .of said filling means, means charging the contents of said bucket, locking mechanism4 for locking the mechanism in said pipe after it has been so actuated, by the' overflowing liquid, the means in said pipe serving to set said mechanism for locking the means and means for releasing said locking mechanism. v

4. The combination with a liquid container, a pump for supplying liquid thereto, a motor for operating said pump and an overflow pipe from said container, of a control, for said motor, comprising'l a lever actuated by gravity in one direction and in the other direction by a bucket adapted to receive the overflowing liquid through said overflow pipe and overbalance the force of gravity on said lever for shutting off the motor, said cona catch adapted to be set by the weight o the overflowing liquid.

5. The combination with a liquid container,

a pump for supplying liquid thereto, a motor for operating said pump and an overflow p' e from said container, of a control for said motor comprising a weighted lever, a sw1tch j actuated to closed position by the weighted pipe, the weight of such overflowingliquid being the power means for opposing the weighted lever and thereby moving the switch from closed to open position.

6. The combination with a liquid container,

a pump for supplying liquid thereto. a motor for operating said pump and an overflow pipe from said container, of a control for said motor comprising ya switch, bucket means in said overflow pipe adapted to open said switch upon receiving a quantity of liquid overflowing through said overflow pipe, latch means for locking said switch in open position vand means for releasing said latch movable means,'said movable means being operatively connected with said latch means during a part only of the movement of .the movable means.

7. A device' of the 'character disclosed comprising control mechanism for a liquid pumping structure adapted to pump liquid into a container having an overflow pipe for determining the maximum level which the liquid may attain in the container, said control mechanism comprising a bucket adapted to catch the overflowing liquid and stop the liquid pumping structure, due to gravity acting on the bucket when substantially filled by the overflowing liquid locking means for locking the bucket in said position and means for discharging the contents of the bucket while so locked so that upon release of said locking means the bucket will again assume a position for starting the pumping structure.

8. A'device of the character disclosed comprising control mechanism for a liquid pumping structure adapted to pump liquid into a container having an overflow pipe for determining the maximum level which the liquid may attain in the container, said control mechanism comprising a bucket adapted to catch the overflowing liquid and stop upon receiving a substantial amount thereof tok locking means being operable from a movable hook adapted to receive a hose or the like, said locking means being moved by the movable hook while the hook is being moved through a portion of its entire movement, Iwhereafter the locking means ceases to be affected by the movable hook.

9. In a device of the class disclosed, a container, mechanism for discharging liquid therein, an overflow pipe and means for stopping said mechanism upon the overflow of the liquid through said overflow pipe, said means comprising a casing having one end threaded and an opening surrounded by packing' means at its other end whereby a section of said overflow pipe when removed, leaves. a pair of ends one of which is then threaded for cooperating with the threaded end of 5 said casing and the other.` of which is inserted in said opening and sealed relative to said overflow pipe by said packing means, and means within said casing, operatively lconnected with said'mechanism, said means lo being movable and actuated by the fluid flowing through the casing for stopping the mechanism.

10. In a device of the class described including a liquid container and an overilow pipe,a casing interposed in said overflow pipe, a bucket in said casing to receive liquid from said overflow pipe, a pivoted arm lsupporting said bucket and adapted to be moved thereby when the bucket contains liquid, a switch associated with said arm and adapted to be opened when the arm is movedby the weight of liquid in the bucket, a motor in circuit .with said switch for pumping liquid into the container, locking means for said arm to hold it in position when the switch is`open, said means comprising a latch and -means for releasing said latch.

1l. In a device of the class described including a liquid-container, an overflow pipe, power operated mechanism for filling the container and a source of power supply, a bucket in said overiow pipe for receiving a liquid flowing therethrough, a power supply control means normally constrained to assume a position for supplying power to said power loperated mechanism, said bucket and said control means being operatively connected together whereby the weight of said bucket and 'its contents when the bucket is substantially 40 filled with the liquid, will operate to move the control means from its normal position and thereby cut oii the' supply of power to said power actuated mechanism. Des Moines, Iowa, December 12. 1927.

A HANS A. PETERSEN1 

